ST JOHNSTONE boss Tommy Wright was delighted to see there is life after Stevie May as his side earned a stirring victory in the Highlands.

Wright was thrilled by the creativity his side displayed so soon after losing the scoring talents of May.

Michael O’Halloran and Steven MacLean scored the important goals and Wright insists the need for others to step up to the plate and plug the gap left by May’s move to Sheffield Wednesday is a challenge his team have already risen to in the past.

The Northern Irishman, who is set to sign a new three-year deal at McDiarmid Park, said: “It’s always good to get the first win, particularly on the road – and particularly after the tough European game we had last week.

“Last season we effectively lost 27 or 28 goals from midfield and people asked, ‘Where are the goals going to come from?’

“Stevie May stepped up. He’s gone now and it’s natural people feel we will struggle for goals.

“But you saw how we played today. We created enough chances and other people are going to have to step up to the mark.

“Adam Morgan has come in and he’s a finisher as well. Hopefully I’ll get another striker in.

“If we keep producing quality and getting the ball in good areas we’ll score goals.”

Morgan is just 20 with a promising pedigree from Liverpool but with lofty expectations on his shoulders.

Jake Jervis (centre) scores for Ross County (Image: SNS Group)

Not surprisingly, Morgan had to settle for a spot on the bench and in the end stayed there. It fell to MacLean, in the wars with some crunching challenges, to slot the all-important second goal.

There was an interesting contrast between the teams given Saints’ advantage of four competitive Europa League matches while County’s eight summer signings – five starting – were making their home debuts.

Battering rain greased a lush Dingwall surface perfectly for the contest.County’s Belgian central defender Tim Dreesen, signed from Fortuna Sittard, might not have agreed, though, as he let slip an early pass straight to David Wotherspoon just outside the box.

The Saints’ attacker fed in MacLean but luckily for Dreesen, Scott Boyd intervened to hack clear.

Quickly though County seemed to take command and the best move came after 21 minutes from a Graham Carey free-kick which broke to Yoann Arquin whose low strike was blocked as was Dreesen on the rebound.

The ball broke to Jake Jervis but his fierce dig was somehow tipped from under the bar by the flailing arm of the St Johnstone keeper.

Against the run of play the Perth men stormed ahead after 29 minutes.

Wotherspoon’s cross from the right was punched under pressure by keeper Antonio Reguero but unconvincingly.